Mochi's name comes from a soft chewy Asian sweet made from sticky rice. According to Wikipedia, mochi is mostly popular in soup and as a snack. However, my authorities, a delightful Vietnamese/American family I know, enjoy a sweet version made with marshmallow inside. And just recently, there is a new little Mochi, their Scottish Fold kitten. See photos below.

Ever since I visited Knit Purl/Shibui Knit's booth at Sock Summit 09 and came away with a few choice skeins, I have been tossing ideas around for combining their baby alpaca dk and silk cloud, two yarns that are each soft beyond belief. Together, they are amazingly, lusciously soft and warm. All I can say is YUM and I think you will agree.

Mochi Mitts are fingerless gloves entirely worked in the round, constructed of two yarns held together until almost the very end. The mirrored right and left gloves are each cast on at the widest part of the arm and worked up to the wrist in a textured, self-pleating pattern. Ribbon ties at the wrist sweetly snug the pleats. The hand features a beaded lace motif at front and twisted rib at back. The hand ends with the mohair/silk yarn alone, which floats over the fingers in an ethereal manner. I think you will be wearing these mitts to tea, don't you?

Recommended needle size[always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US #6/ 4 mm needles for working in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars

21 sts and 28 rounds = 4 inches/10cm in stockinette stitch with two yarns held together.
24 sts and 28 rounds = 4 inches/10cm in arm chart pattern with two yarns held together.

PATTERN NOTES[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

To Bead a stitch: With crochet hook, slide bead onto hook, insert hook into stitch loop where the bead will sit, making sure that the hook is facing you, and gently pull the stitch off the needle. Flick the bead over the top of the hook, seating it onto the stitch. Transfer the beaded stitch to the right needle and proceed. In all cases, work stitch or decrease indicated before placing bead on the resulting stitch loop.

LLI (Left Lifted Increase): Insert the left needle from front to back under the left leg of the stitch two rows below the first stitch on the right needle, lifting this loop onto the left needle, then knit into the back of this loop to create a new stitch.

RLI (Right Lifted Increase): Insert right needle from front to back under right leg of stitch below first stitch on left needle. Lift this loop onto left needle and knit into the back of this loop to create a new stitch.

ChartsThe charts for this pattern are very large. Each fits on a letter-sized
page.
Click below and print each resulting
page.

Continuing in established pattern, work even for 10 rounds; end ready to work Round 20.

Divide thumb:Work in pattern to one stitch before the first marker, remove marker and transfer next 12 gusset sts (10 sts between the markers and the two purl sts on either side) to waste yarn, remove second marker, CO 1 st using backwards loop method, work to end of round. 39 sts.

Hand round: Work even in pattern as set, knitting the CO stitch over the thumb.
Work 2 more rounds as set.

Final hand round: K19, m1, k20. 40 sts.

Leaving an end to weave in later, cut strand of Baby Alpaca DK.

Using the strand of Silk Cloud only, work Rounds 1-10 of the Right Glove Top Border chart.

BO loosely purlwise. Cut yarn and draw through final loop.

Thumb
Return the 12 thumb sts to double-pointed or circular needles and distribute for knitting in the round. Round 1: P12, then pick up and knit 1 st over the CO stitch for the hand. 13 sts.
Join for working in the round.Round 2: KnitRound 3: Purl
BO loosely knitwise.
Cut yarn and draw through final loop.
Weave in all ends.

LEFT MITT
Using both yarns held together, CO 45 sts. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Continuing in established pattern, work even for 10 rounds; end ready to work Round 20.

Divide thumb: Work in pattern to one stitch before the first marker, remove marker and transfer next 12 gusset sts (10 sts between the markers and the two purl sts on either side) to waste yarn, remove second marker, CO 1 st using backwards loop method, work to end of round. 39 sts.

Hand round: Work even in pattern as set, knitting the CO stitch over the thumb.
Work 2 more rounds as set.

Final hand round: K19, m1, k20. 40 sts.

Leaving an end to weave in later, cut strand of Baby Alpaca DK.

Using the strand of Silk Cloud only, work Rounds 1-10 of the Left Glove Top Border chart.

BO loosely purlwise. Cut yarn and draw through final loop.
Work Thumb as for Right Mitt.

FINISHING
Cutting on the diagonal so that the ends will not ravel, cut length of silk ribbon in half, leaving one yard for each glove. Beginning in front, thread ribbon around the wrist in and out the eyelets, ending once again in the front. Tie ribbon so that the self-pleating arm pattern closes to the width of the wrist, plus enough ease to pull the glove on over the hand. If desired, steam lightly to block.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Sivia Harding learned how to knit in 2000 and has being churning out patterns since 2003. Her work has appeared in publication under her own name and in various magazines and books and clubs. Sivia is known for her work with exceptional beaded knits.